West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-07-28
THE WATER OF LIFE.
SERMON BY REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
An Incident I'm Pastoral Life that IL
Illustrates n Great Theme.


Sheep. GENESIS XXX, \
A scene in Mesopotamia, beautifully pas
eoraL well of water of great value i'm
that region. The fields around about it
white with three hocks of sheep lying down
waiting for the watering. l hear their bleat-
ing coming on the bright air, and the lauy liter
OF young men and maidens INDUCING i'm
rustic repartee. i look of and see 9th n
nocks OF Sheep coming Meanwhile JacDb
a stranger, on the interesting errand of look
ing for n wife. comes 20 the well A beauti-
ful shepherdess comes To the same we'll Isee
her approaching, followed by her fathers
hock of sheep 10 was a memorable
meeting jacob married that shephericSs
The Bible account of IL j.: Jacob
Kissed Rachel. and lifted up his vo co
and wept' 1t has always been "A mystery
70 me what he found 10 cry about. But be-
Tore that scene occurred Jacob accosts tho
shepherds and asks them why they POSTPONE
the shaking OF the thirst of these sheep, and
why they did not immediately prDce,d 10
water them. The shepherds reply TO the ef-
tect: I'VE are all good neighbors and as a
matter OF courtesy we wait until ali the
sheep of the neighborhood come up Besides
that, this stone on the wells mouth is some
what heavy, and several of us take hold of it
ana push NJ aside, and then the buckets and
the troughs are filled, and the sheep are salts.
he'd. We cannot, until all the fiocks are
gathered together, and till they roll the stone
from the wells mouth; then we water the
Sheep
oh, this is thirsty world Hot for the
head, and blistering for the feet AMI parch-
Ing for the tongue. The worlds great want
Is cool, refreshing, satisfying draught IVA
wander around and we find the cistern empty
Long and tedious drought has dried up the
worlds fountains, but nearly nineteen CEN
turtles ago, a Shepherd, with crook in the
shape of u cross, and feet cut TO the bleeding
explored the desert passages OF this world
and one day came across n we'll thousand
feet deep, bubbling and bright, and opal
escent, and looked to the north and the
south, and the east, and the west, and cried
out with Voice strong and musical that
rang through the ages: "Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye 10 the watersln
Now great flock OF sheep today gather
around this Gospel well. There are n great
many thirsty souls. l wonder why the flocks
of all nations do not gathor-why so many
stay thirsty; and while ann wondering about
it, my text breaks forth in the explanation
saying I'VE cannot, until all the fiocks be
gathered together, and till they roll the stone
from the wells mouth: then we water the
Sheep
II herd OF swine come 10 a well they
angrily Justle each other for the precedence;
IL a drove of cattle come 10 a well, they hook
each other back from the water but when a
flock OF sheep come, though hundred OF
them shall be disappointed, they only express
n by sad bleating they come together peace
fully. we want n great multitude to
come around the Gospel we'll ] know
there are those who do not like
a crowd-they thinl; n crowd is vul.
gar. III they are oppressed for room in
church it makes them positively impatient
and belligerent We have had people
permanently leave our church because many
.jther people came To IL. Not so did these
Oriental shepherds They waited until all the
nocks were gathered and the more nocks
that came the better they liked It, And so
we ought to be anxious that all the people
should come. Go out into the highways and
the hedges and compel them 90 come
In Go TO the rich and tell them they
are INDECENT without the Gospel Of Jesus.
10 to the poor and tell them the
aftluence there is in Christ. Go TO the blind
and tell them of the touch that gives eternal
illumination. Gro to the lame and tell them
OF the JOY that viii make the lame man lean
like hart. Gather all the sheep off of ali
the mountains. None so torn Of the dogs,
none so sick, none so worr. ed, none so diving
as TO be omitted. Why not gather great
hockl All Brooklyn in flock all New York
IN flock; all London in a flo *: all the world
an flock This well OF the Gospel is deem
enough TO put out the burning thirst of the
twelve hundred million, of the race DO not
let the Church-by spirit of exclusive
ness keep the world ont Let down
all the bars, swing oTen all the
gates, scatter ell the invitations: "Who-
soever will, let him come Come, white and
black Come, red men of the forest. Come
Laplander, out of the snow. Come. Patago,
man, out OF the heat. Come in furs Come
painting under palm leaves Come one Come
all Come now. As at this we'll OF Mesopo-
tamia1 Jacob and Rachel were betrothed, so
our Shepherd will meet you coming M with
your long hocks of cares and anxieties. and
lie viii stretch out his hand i'm pledge of His
ahectlon, while all heaven will cry out: "Be-
meet him.
You notice that this well of Mesopotania
had stone on 1t, which must b,s removed ne
Tore the sheep could be watered; and find on
the well Of salvation today impediinents and
Obstacles which must be removed i'm order
that you may obtain the refeshmcIt and lifp
OF this Gospel In your case the INN ,iiuout
- pfldsoI heart You cannot bear 10 come
70 80 democratic a fountain: YOU do not want
% come with 50 many others IL Is To Won
like when you are dry coming 10 a tovu
pump as compared 10 sitting i'm n parlor sip
ping out Of a chased chalice which has lust
Deen lifted from silver salvcr Not so
many publcans and sinners. You want to
get 70 heaven, but it must be in a
special car, with your feet on a Turkish
ottoman and a band Of music on board the
train. You DO not want 10 be i'm company
with rustic Jacob and Rachel, and to be
drinking out Of the fountain where ten thou
sand sheep have been drinking Lefore YOU.
on VIII have 70 remove the obstacle Of pride
or never hnd your way 10 the well You will
nave 10 come as we came, willing 70 take
the water OF eternal life in any way and at
any hand, and In any kind Of pitcher CRYING
out; "Oh, Lord Jesus. / arm dying Of thirst
tive me the water Of eterns life whether i'm
trough or goblet give nrs the water Of
.-+-' A-'-f 't.iN it'N lll WilAL lL comes 70
me Away with all your hinlrancag Of
pride from the wells mouth
Here Is another man who is kent bock from
tins water OF life By the Stone Of an obdurate
heart, which lies over the mouth OF the well
p on nave no more feeling upon this subject
than N God had yet n do you the first kind
ness, or you had 10 do God the first WRONG
SEATED on his lap all these years His ever.
fasting arms sheitering you, whore is your
Rrautudef w here is your morning and even
ing prayeri Where are vour consecratad
hvcsf say 70 you as Daniel said TO Pei
shazzar. The God iu whose hlnd thv breath
b., and at thy way thou has not giorifed
If you treated anybody az badly az Won have
created Tod. you would have made five hum
nave been ora apology. Three times "a day YOU
have been seated at Gods table spring rig
Ter autumn and winter hc has atrr0uFiat,I,
appareled you. Your health from Him v.rir
companion from Him. your children from
hiIn, your home from him all the bright sflr-
roundinGs ~ your life from Him n man
what do5t thou with that hard hearth Caust
thou not feel one thr0b NJ gratitude toward
the Jp1 That made you and the Christ who
came - redeem You. and the Holy Ghost who
ha8 all these years been importunfng Won't n
you could SIT down five minute under fhe
tree Of saviour martvrI0m and feel ria
warm hte-blgod trick.ing 0u your forehead
and cheek. and hands methiuks you would s,et
some appreciation ~ what sou owe To- "a craci-
Gsd Jesus
Heart 81 stone, fsiart. yaout
gucnen ny Jcsua cr0ss au1fuaf.
zee bn BODY, manged. rent,